Operation Italian Chocolate Factory
by lullabyemyuu
Summary: With a little help from Vash, Antonio discovers that he is indeed in love with Lovino. Unfortunately, Lovino already has a girlfriend. Spamano with slight SwissBel


"So, do you wanna hang out later or something?"

The question hung in the air like a loaded gun and Antonio's heart pounded harshly in his chest. The uncomfortable look Lovino was giving him did not bode well for the dinner plans he had made.

_It's not a big deal. It's not a big deal. Lovi just has other things to do. Maybe tomorrow. Yeah, maybe tomorrow. No big deal. _

"Sorry, Antonio. Belle and I were already planning on going to get something to eat." Lovino was staring at him now and Antonio wanted to melt into the floor.

_It's not a big deal. Of course not. It was never a big deal before he started dating her. _

Antonio closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before opening them again and flashing Lovino a winning smile. "That's fine, I understand. Maybe tomorrow?"

"Yeah," sighed Lovino. "Maybe tomorrow."

But it wouldn't be tomorrow. And it wouldn't be the day after that. Or any time soon at all. Perhaps never again. Lovino hadn't wanted to hang out with Antonio since Belle had asked him out.

_It's okay that he wants to be with her more than me. After all, she's his girlfriend and I'm just . . . his best friend._

_ Maybe I don't want to be just his best friend anymore._

Antonio blinked, face pinking ever so slightly as he wondered where that thought had come from. It was a silly thought, a stupid thought. Lovino had a _girlfriend. _And Antonio, well, had _had _girlfriends. Or _a _girlfriend. Or, well, he'd kissed a girl on a dare once in kindergarten.

"So where are you going to eat?" the words tumbled out of his mouth in a desperate attempt to break the awkward silence Lovino's rejection had plunged them into.

"Hmm? Oh." Lovino looked as if he were coming out of a daze. "Nothing too fancy, I'm just taking her out for Italian at my grandfather's restaurant. Not that I'm really looking forward to introducing her to my grandfather if you know what I mean." He made a face and Antonio resisted the urge to coo over how adorable it was. He used to call Lovino cute all the time, but now it only earned him odd looks from both the Italian and his girlfriend.

"_Lovino!_"

Antonio winced as he saw Lovino rise hurriedly at the sight of a pretty little Belgian girl sprinting across the parking lot towards the rocks they were sitting on. She skidded to a halt next to Lovino and quickly engulfed him in a hug. Lovino's face turned a dark shade of crimson as he awkwardly hugged back.

"Oh, hi Toni!" she gave him a wave and a cat-like smile which he returned. Belle was such a nice girl and Antonio genuinely liked her.

_Then why can't I be happy for Lovino?_

"C-can I kiss you?" Antonio froze, stomach churning uncomfortably. Was that _Lovino _who had just said that? _Lovino _the cursing, spit-fire Italian? He had just asked for a kiss? _And stuttered?_

Belle grinned widely, smoothing Lovino's hair out of his face. "Of course, honey." She wrapped her arms around his waist and his face grew even redder, something Antonio hadn't been sure was possible.

Lovino leaned down and kissed her deeply before drawing away with a small smile. "Belle, you taste like chocolate."

She giggled. "That's because I just came from culinary class. Vash and I are making chocolate!"

Lovino's smile grew larger as he reached down to grab Belle's hand. "You'll have to let me taste some."

_Why don't you smile like that for me?_

"So are we ready to go? I can't wait to meet the rest of your family!" Belle readjusted her backpack strap and patted down her skirt. "I've never had Italian before."

"You haven't?" exclaimed Lovino, appalled. The two started to walk towards Belle's car, still holding hands. "We'll have to remedy that immediately!"

Antonio waved his hand as they got into the car and ollied out of the parking lot and wondered why he wanted to cry.

Xxx

Antonio walked down sidewalk leading away from the high school dejectedly, features pulled into a dark frown. "Maybe I should get a girlfriend." It wasn't like he wasn't popular enough. Girls were probably lining up to date him! Francis and Gilbert could probably help him with that.

"Hey!" someone barked in a vaguely foreign accent.

Antonio froze and looked up to see Vash, a student from Switzerland, blocking the path with a determined look on his face.

"Oh, hi Vash," said Antonio, relaxing slightly. "What do you-"

"This is not the time for idle chit-chat, Mr. Carriedo! This is the time for action! Come with me!" Vash leaned forward and grabbed Antonio's sleeve and dragged him into some bushes on the side of the road.

The boy crouched down and gestured urgently for Antonio to do the same.

"Um, why did you just pull-"

Vash made an impatient shushing noise. "That's not important! What's important right now is saving our love-lives!"

Antonio cocked his head in confusion. "Vash, I've never even talked to you before. Why are you suddenly concerned about my love-life?"

Vash narrowed his eyes. "Because you and I, my friend, are involved in a love square that needs to be resolved immediately!"

"Wait, I thought it was a triangle."

"Shut up!" Vash growled, "You are my only hope at the moment and I suspect you want this issue resolved as quickly as I do. I, Vash Zwingli, am in love with Belle. You are in love with Lovino Vargas-"

Antonio held up his hands, eyes wide. "Wait a second, who told you I was in love with Lovi?"

Now it was Vash's turn to look confused. "It's common knowledge, right? Everyone knows you're in love with Lovino? I thought you two were dating until he started going out with Belle." A shadow crossed over his face. "_My _Belle."

"I . . . I . . . we . . . Lovi and I . . . _what?_" Antonio stuttered.

"You mean you don't know anything about this?" cried Vash. "People talk about you two all the time! You practically _live _together! Obviously, you're both madly in love! What happened? Why did you let him go to Belle? If I loved someone I would _never, ever _let them go!" Vash's face was red now and he was practically yelling. "Man up, Antonio!"

Antonio's heart felt like lead. "In love . . . with Lovino. I can't be . . . but I've known him _forever! _When did I . . . Is that why I don't want him and Belle together? Oh god, I'm in love with Lovino Vargas. My _male best friend _Lovino Vargas. " He turned to Vash, panicked. "How did this _happen?_"

Vash gave him a dead-pan look before resuming his tirade. "It doesn't matter _how _it happened, idiot! We just need to fix this, before it gets any worse and Lovino really does fall in love with Belle!"

"I thought he _was_ in love with Belle . . .?"

Vash sniffed. "A very reliable source has informed me that Lovino Vargas is in love with _you_."

Antonio's brain was very close to just shutting down. He struggled to process this new information.

_I'm in love with Lovino._

_ Lovino is in love with me._

_ Lovino is dating . . . Belle._

_ Well, shit._

"We have to fix this immediately!" Antonio grabbed Vash's shoulders.

Vash slapped him. "Get yourself together, idiot. That's what I've been trying to tell you this whole time. Now, there is only one way to remedy this situation."

" . . . kiss-o-gram?"

Vash slapped him again. "Operation Italian Chocolate Factory. Otherwise known as Operation Antonio-grows-some-balls-and-confesses-his-love-to-Lovino-so-that-you-two-can-finally-release-your-sexual-tension-and-I-can-claim-the-love-of-my-life."

"Tell Lovino . . . that I love him. But what if he rejects me?"

Vash shook his head. "We can't afford to think like that, soldier. I'll be taking care of Belle, you just work on your Italian brat."

Antonio stood suddenly and hit his head on a tree. "Yes, sir!" He plastered a look of determination on his face and struggled out of the bushes with Vash following after him.

The blonde placed his hands on his hips. "Now remember, Operation Italian Chocolate Factory is going to go down after Lovino and Belle eat dinner and split up. You'll have to be waiting for Lovino, just as I will be waiting for Belle." He saluted sharply and strode in the opposite direction.

Antonio saluted back and jogged down the sidewalk, head reeling.

_I'm in love with Lovino!_

Xxx

"Good night, Belle."

"Good night, Lovi. I had a wonderful time."

"I'm sorry Feli accidentally set you on fire."

"Happens all the time!"

The both laughed a little and Lovino leaned down to kiss her softly. "See you tomorrow."

"See you!"

Lovino started to walk down the street, humming slightly. This whole relationship was going slightly better than expected. Maybe if kept this up long enough he'd be able to forget Antonio entirely.

_You're never going to be able to forget him entirely. Why bother trying?_

He decided to ignore the traitorous part of his mind that seemed to be growing more insistent lately.

"Oh, Antonio . . ." he murmured softly. "I'm sorry I can't be your friend anymore . . . but it hurts too much to keep things the way they were."

"_Lovi_!"

Lovino started, heart jumping in his throat as a figure came hurtling out of the darkness and grasped his hands tightly.

"Antonio? What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Lovi, I need to tell you something." Antonio's face was deadly serious, more serious than Lovino had ever seen it. He tried to pull his hands out of the Spaniard's grip and failed. Unease worried at his heart.

"Tonio, are you okay . . ."

Antonio brought his face closer to Lovino's and the other gasped, blushing slightly.

"Lovino Vargas, I am in love you."

Time seemed to stop. Lovino merely stood there, frozen. He opened his mouth and managed to choke out a few words. "No . . . no you don't."

"Please believe me, Lovi," Antonio was pleading now. "I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner but I do now!"

At last, Lovino managed to yank his hands away. "Why now?" he snarled angrily. "Why now, when I've finally gotten myself a girlfriend! You think that makes it all okay? You don't actually want me, you just can't stand the thought of me being with someone else! Well let me tell you something, all I've wanted all these years is to fall out of love with you, since you obviously would never love me back! And now that maybe, just _maybe_, I could fall for someone else you decide you're going to confess your fucking feelings to me! Well guess what, Antonio, it's too late! _You're too fucking late._"

Antonio released Lovino's hands, watching as the Italian collapsed to the ground in tears. He knelt beside him, putting an arm around him. Tears were beginning to well in his own eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lovi. I really am sorry, but I never knew. I wish you had said something sooner, I had no idea you were hurting all this time. Lovi, you have to believe me when I say it's never too late. All I'm asking is for one more chance. I know I probably don't deserve it, and I'll understand completely if you want to stay with Belle but please Lovino . . . just consider it . . ."

Lovino's arm shot out and he grabbed Antonio's collar, yanking him down harshly and kissing him passionately, fuelled by years of pent-up longing and frustration. After taking a moment to overcome his shock, Antonio kissed back.

At last they broke away, panting heavily and staring into each other's eyes like a scene from a cheesy 80's romantic comedy.

Lovino's eyes widened suddenly as panic descended on him. "Fuck, this means I have to break up with Belle, doesn't it?"

Xxx

"Um, hi Belle I was just about to call you. I-"

"Oh, hey, Lovino, I was just calling to tell you something. I think we should see other people."

"_What_?" Lovino nearly dropped the phone and Antonio glanced at him in surprise.

"It's not that I don't like you, Lovi, I really do. It's just . . . I think there are other people that deserve to be with us more. Vash has just finished explaining to me about and why you and Antonio should be together and . . . confessing his undying love for me.

"I'll admit, that, when I asked you out I knew that you were in love with Antonio. I didn't mean to take you away from him, I just thought you were a really sweet guy once you get past your . . . rough exterior and I was interested in you.

"But I think I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have asked you out when I knew I couldn't commit to you fully. I think I loved Vash long before I loved you, even if I didn't realize it. So I hope you're not too hurt by this (I don't think you will be, you have Antonio after all) and I hope we're still cool. Are we still cool?"

"Yeah, we're cool," said Lovino numbly before flipping it closed and throwing it at a car.

Antonio giggled slightly and Lovino glared at him. "What the hell are you laughing at bastard."

The Spaniard just smiled and grabbed his hand. "Nothing, I'm just glad that Operation Italian Chocolate Factory was a success after all. Now let's go home!"

"Operation Italian Chocolate Factory? What the fuck are you- stop dragging me!"


End file.
